Worth the Wait
by primadi
Summary: The conclusion to the series Old Connections 2. (N/S). A new case brings Nick and Sara back together.
1. Default Chapter

Hello everyone! This is the new series in conclusion to Old Connections. R+R!  
  
DISCLAIMERS: i own NONE of the regulary C.S.I. characters (i.e. Nick, Sara, Grissom, Catherine, etc)  
  
~*~  
  
"Nicky! My sweet Nicky!" Grandma Rose cried when I arrived home.  
  
Home consisted of our large ranch. It ran about 30 acres, and was full of animals. Although, my father was a D.A., my mother loved the little "country life", as she called it.  
  
"Now, now, mother, no need to strangle him," my mother said.  
  
"Shush, Patricia. Can't you tell Nicky's been through enough. You're girlfriend got you in this mess?" she asks.  
  
"It was an old boyfriend..." I mutter helplessly.  
  
"She must've been a slut." she says, before hitting me.  
  
"OW! What was that for?!" I yelp.  
  
"The girl's you're always fooling around with are always idiots with bad pasts!" she yells, before she swats me again.  
  
"Grandma, Sara wasn't an idiot. She's very smart, graduated from Columbia..." I mutter.  
  
"Then how did she end up getting you in trouble?" she demands to know.  
  
"Stop! Sara's a good person. Good, honest, loyal..."  
  
"Then why'd you dump her?"  
  
"I didn't dump her. It was a mutual decision..."  
  
"Hey, you wanna take your things up to your room, Nick?" my mom asks me, trying to break up our argument.  
  
"Gladly!" I huff, before grabbing my suitcase and taking it upstairs.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey Nick," my dad says, joining me at the stables.  
  
"Hi Dad." I say, before I continue stroking my horse, named Bell.  
  
"Hi Bell," he says, acknowledging the horse.   
  
I continue stroking her until my dad notices the silence.  
  
"So, tell me about Sara. What's she like?" he asks kindly.  
  
"You know, you're the first person to ask me that." I chuckle.  
  
He laughs along with me. I love my father.  
  
"She's...she's wonderful. She makes me feel warm and tingly inside. I mean, every time I think about her, I feel, giddy? I guess that's the word. She, she makes me feel special dad. Like, I shouldn't change who I am...she makes me laugh."  
  
"She also makes you cry," he comments.  
  
"Maybe, I made my move too soon. I mean, we haven't been dating that long...and no one at work knew about it. Maybe I went too fast..."  
  
"Maybe, or maybe she just freaked."  
  
"Sara doesn't freak out...well, unless it's over a dead body,"  
  
My dad laughs. "Well, marriage is another issue. It's something that will change your whole life. I remember being hesitant with your mother. Your mother, yeesh. Poor her...she waited five years before I finally popped the question."  
  
"5 years! That's soo long, Dad,"  
  
"I know Nick. But, sometimes... love is worth waiting for." he said, before winking and heading back to the house.  
  
~*~  
  
"Nicky, sweetie, I just wish you wouldn't leave so soon." Patty Stokes said, helping her son load his luggage into the cab.  
  
"I know, Mom. But, the sooner I get back to work, the sooner my life is...well, my life again," he says, before kissing his mother and grandmother on the cheek.  
  
"Well, Son. I hope, you've learned something about our talk, last night." he says, smiling.  
  
"I did Dad. Thanks...for, the advice. I'll uhh...I'll try to work it out,"  
  
"That's my boy," Ed Stokes said, ruffling Nick's extremely short hair. "Bring her down here sometime,"  
  
"If you're talking about Sara...I don't want that girl anywhere near my Nicky..." Grandma Rose complained.  
  
"Bye Dad," I say, hugging him tightly, completely ignoring my Grandmother's comment.  
  
~*~  
  
"We are now arriving in Las Vegas. Thank you for flying with us today..." the announced boomed.  
  
I picked up my carry-on bag and finally made my way to the gate.  
  
"Nick! Over here!"   
  
I turn and try to follow the voice. Finally, I spot them. Catherine, waving amicably. Greg had a sign, that read 'Welcome Back, Nick!' Grissom and Warrick just smiled.  
  
After hugs and hellos, they dragged me to the luggage claim area, where I found my suitcase and we headed for the lab.  
  
"I talked to Sara a couple days ago," Grissom informed me, when there was a moment of silence.  
  
"How is she?" I ask, gulping.  
  
"She's fine. Her father's a therapist. She's in good hands..."  
  
"She's going for treatment?" I ask.  
  
"No, she just...she sounded a bit shaky on the phone, to be honest. And she hung up very quickly."  
  
"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.  
  
"She's resigning..."  
  
"What?!" Now that really caught my attention.  
  
"You didn't hear?" Warrick finally speaks up.  
  
"When did she say she was resigning?" I ask, my voice rising.  
  
"She called, the night she...disappeared. She said she was moving back to San Francisco. I thought the Feds would've told you something," Warrick explained.  
  
"But, she's technically still thinking about it. She said she was still thinking about it, but, her voice assured me that she was staying." Grissom said.  
  
"Oh."   
  
I'm in complete, utterless shock.  
  
~*~  
  
The pain's nearly gone. The physical pain, for the most part. The emotional pain, well, that's a different story.  
  
Grissom gave both Nick and I two weeks off, given our emotional ordeal. He asked about my resignation, and I told him I'd think about it. Nick and I barely spoke after our release from the hospital. He wanted to see me- my parents told me. But, I refused to see him.  
  
Does it seem like I'm blaming this whole, kidnapping incident, on him? I honestly don't know. If we hadn't, gotten in a fight, I suppose...but, he was out to kidnap me anyways. These thoughts had been swarming in my head through the nights in the hospital and on the plane.  
  
"Sara, honey, are you all right?" my mother asks me worriedly.  
  
We're on the plane back to San Francisco. I'm sick of the treatment I'm getting from my parents.  
  
"I'm fine, mom. Really, I'm just tired..." I tell her.  
  
"Tired...you've done nothing but sleep. I swear, you've been in hibernation since.." my father starts to crack a joke of him.  
  
"Stop it, Peter!"   
  
"I was just trying to cheer up the situation. It's more than whatever you're doing..." he mutters.  
  
My mother turns her attention back onto me.  
  
"Sweetie, we told you not to take that job in Las Vegas."  
  
"I loved my job in Vegas. It was better than in San Francisco..."   
  
"How is it better?" my mom asks.  
  
"The people...they act like, family."   
  
"But, you have family in San Francisco.." she responds.  
  
I don't want to talk to her. I really don't.   
  
~*~  
  
"Welcome home, honey.." my mom says, as we walk up the stairs of our house.  
  
Home sweet home.  
  
I walked into the familiar house and looked around. Nothing had changed. The same decorations, scent, photos on the walls.  
  
"Hasn't changed much, huh?" my mom asks, on the phone, checking messages.  
  
It wasn't until now that I realized how much I had really missed home. The place where I grew up; my childhood. First birthdays, crushes, parties. The nights I had spent working on science projects and homework.  
  
"Sweetie, Gil Grissom called for you,"   
  
"Grissom called?" I ask, surprised.  
  
"Wanted to check if you arrived safely. Told you to call him on his cell,"   
  
"I'll take it upstairs, mom."  
  
~*~  
  
I dialed the familiar number and waited. It rang once, twice, and finally...  
  
"Grissom." the voice answered.  
  
"Hi Grissom. It's Sara," I tell him, trying not to cry.  
  
"Sara! Our missing CSI. How are you? Well, I can tell you arrived safely."  
  
"I'm good. I mean, well, I just got back. But, so far, I'm good." I say.  
  
My voice is breaking. I'm pleading with God not to cry, not on the phone, not on the phone with Grissom.  
  
"How are you? How is everyone?"   
  
"Everyone's great...and missing you."  
  
"How about...Nick? Is he there, or..."   
  
"Nick's in Texas. He's staying with his parents for a few days. He'll be back in Vegas on Friday." he told me gently.  
  
"Ok, ok then. Well, I just wanted to see how he was adjusting."  
  
"Have you and Nick talked? Since, what's happened?"   
  
"Uhh...no. We were, released on different dates, and well, we just don't want to talk."   
  
"I'm sure he's thinking about you," he tells me.  
  
"Right. Okay then, I uhh...have to go, Grissom. Thank you for calling. I'll umm...talk to you soon,"   
  
I don't even wait for his "good-bye" before I hand up the phone. Just talking about Nick was making me sob uncontrollably. Why? I don't love him, I don't care about him. I was a liar, and I knew it.   
  
When Nick proposed, I was the happiest gal in the world. He had finally admitted he loved me, which was something that had come as a hard task for Nick Stokes. But, I choked last minute...and stalled. As much as I loved Nick, I wasn't ready to get married. I wasn't ready to settle down, and have kids. I don't think I was willing to work half-shifts either. But, I couldn't tell him...I don't know why. I guess, I've been dependent all these years that, I couldn't say I was "good" or "ready" for something. But then, he started accusing me of...I'm not even going to go there.  
  
"Sara, honey. Why are you crying?"  
  
My mother has caught me. Damn.  
  
"It's nothing mom. Just, hormones..."  
  
"Oh my god, are you pregnant?" she gasps.  
  
"No mother! I'm not. It's just...it's nothing!"   
  
"You know what, I'm going to tell your father to run out and buy one. Just in case..." she tells me.  
  
Do you see why I was in such a rush to leave San Francisco?  
  
"Mother! I am not pregnant! I'm just...I miss them. I miss Las Vegas." I said exasperated.  
  
"You miss Nick?" she said sadly.  
  
"Terribly." I finally admit.   
  
In my bedroom, I end up spilling the marriage proposal, my thoughts and why I said no, and the contents of our short-lived fight.   
  
"Oh sweetie...I understand. And I'm sure, that, if you explained it to Nick, he'd understand too," she comforts me.  
  
"Mom, if I was in Nick's position, I wouldn't understand it."  
  
"You were scared. Scared of marriage and the little packages that come with it. That's nothing to be ashamed of, Sara."   
  
"I know, mom. I know. But, you know, it was beautiful. It was a perfect moment."  
  
"Get some rest. Have you made up your mind about resigning?"  
  
"I'm still thinking about it..."   
  
"Ok, well. Take your time," she says, before plopping a kiss on my head and leaving me to my privacy.  
  
~*~  
  
"Sara, you wanna come in here?"  
  
I walk into my father's personal study, wondering what he wants.  
  
"Take a seat, sweetie," he gestures the chair.  
  
"Dad, I'm not one of your patients..." I tell him.  
  
My father is a psychiatrist slash therapist, if you couldn't already tell.   
  
"Just sit," he says.  
  
I sit down on the plush red sofa.  
  
"Your mother told me about what happened. You're scared of marriage?"  
  
"Not scared. Well, ok, scared. But, also of the consequences,"  
  
"What consequences?" he asks.  
  
"Just...I don't know. I'm not ready to give up, like, ok...if we got married, I wouldn't be able to go out with the guys and just, drink or something,"  
  
"You do that in Las Vegas?" he asks narrowing his eyes.  
  
"No! I mean, yea, well, sometimes. If there's a celebration," I admit. "And if I get married, there's a good chance I'll have kids..."  
  
"There's a great chance you'll have kids..." he says winking.  
  
"Daddy...but. I guess, I just like the life I'm living right now. Just, being with him, as a couple. Not as a married couple. To me, it's more romantic, I supposed..."  
  
"Will you ever get married?" he asks, concerned.  
  
"Of course, Daddy. Just, when I'm ready."  
  
"You should tell Nick. You shouldn't be, ashamed or sorry, of being afraid of marriage," he advises me.  
  
"I don't want to,"  
  
"Why, honey?"  
  
"Because...I don't know. For some reason, it seems like I'll be admitting I was wrong, and he was right."  
  
"You don't want to sacrifice your pride?" he asks.  
  
"Something like that, yes."  
  
"But sweetheart, if this Nick guy's so great, don't you think he wouldn't care about your pride. As long as you're together? And, isn't it better to be with him, than be without him?"  
  
"It's too late, now..." I mutter.  
  
"It's never too late,"  
  
~*~ 


	2. Letting You Go

Disclaimers in Ch. 1/2  
  
~*~  
  
"Danny Robbins. 25 year old male. Advertising executive from San Francisco," Brass told them.  
  
"What was he doing in Las Vegas?" Nick asked, pulling on his latex gloves.  
  
"Good question. I tried calling the company. No one's in."   
  
"Hmm, death...looks like it was by the bullet in his head." Grissom observed.  
  
A cell phone rang and the three men reached into their pockets.  
  
"It's mine," Brass said. "What? Yes, yes, we've found him. Ok, we need someone down here to confirm. Yea, ok. Uhh, I'll send someone up," Brass said, before hanging up.  
  
"Ok, Danny Robbins has been missing for a week now. He was supposed to stop in Las Vegas for a meeting. He made the meeting, never made it to the airport,"  
  
"Well, we're right by some casinos," Nick said, taking a look around. "You think he could've stopped to play some?"  
  
"Maybe...Grissom, want to send some of your guys up to San Francisco, to check out the scene and talk to..."  
  
"Yea, uhh...I'll send Warrick and Catherine,"  
  
"Warrick and Catherine are working on their case," Nick reminded him.  
  
"Right, uhh...I'll go," Grissom volunteered.  
  
"Why can't I go?" Nick asked.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean, you just got back..." Grissom said.  
  
"It's fine. In fact, I want to go,"  
  
Grissom looked at him hesitantly. "All right, you can go. Just, try to, be careful?" Grissom said.  
  
"No problem..."  
  
~*~  
  
"Nice meeting you, Mr. Stokes," CSI Officer Jack Quincy said, waving.  
  
"Come down to Vegas sometime," I said.  
  
"Only if there's murder..." Jack said, chuckling as he got into his Tahoe.  
  
Although I was supposed to head back to catch his flight to Vegas, I turned on the ignition and started the car. I had one more stop to make.  
  
~*~  
  
'Here I am.' I thought, as I pulled up in front of the house I recognized from visiting it with Sara, the last time I had been in San Francisco. Stepping out of my tahoe, I walked up the stairs to the front door and rang the doorbell.  
  
"Yes? May I help you?" a woman asked? This woman wasn't Sara or her mother.  
  
"Uhh, yes. Is Sara here?" I asked, gulping.  
  
She took a good look at me before answering my question.  
  
"No, she's out. Who are you?" she asked, pressing her face closer to study me.  
  
"Umm, I'm an old friend. DO you know where she is?"  
  
"She's at dinner. TUlio's, on Mission and 5th," she said. I thanked her, and drove to Mission and 5th.  
  
~*~  
  
Tulio's is a fancy resturant. Italian food, and I knew Sara had a thing for Italian. Parking my car, I walked inside the resturant, hoping to find her waiting there for me. Searching the room, I finally found her.  
  
Her chesnut hair, I recognized almost instantly. BUt it was the famous smile that caught my eye. I turned my attention on the man sitting across from her. They were laughing and drinking wine. Anger bubbled inside of me. No, not answer. Saddness.  
  
Feeling defeated, I turned on my heel and walked out of the resturant.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hi Sara, sweetie. Did you and Eric have a good time,"  
  
"Oh, it was wonderful. I've really missed him,"  
  
"He's been your best friend since the 1st grade, of course you've missed him,"  
  
"I was really looking forward to seeing Melissa and the kids, but, they couldn't go,"  
  
"That's really a shame. Say, did your friend find you?"  
  
"My friend? Which friend is that?" Sara asked, grinning.  
  
"Umm, Aunt Barbara said he had a Texan accent. She said he was handsome..." he said, shrugging.  
  
"Was it Nick? Did she say what his name was?" Sara asked, panicked.  
  
"Didn't asked. He didn't give it either,"  
  
~*~  
  
"Flight 228, final boarding to Las Vegas! FLight 228, final boarding to Las Vegas!" the announced called.  
  
Clutching his boarding pass, Nick headed towards the gate.  
  
~*~  
  
"Come on! GO! Go! Faster!" Sara urged.  
  
Traffic was really causing the delay. She was almost there, just 5 more minutes.  
  
~*~  
  
Nick stood at the end of the line. Looking at his watch, he was amused to see that the flight would be leaving in 2 minutes. 'Not with this line, that plane isn't going anywhere,'  
  
~*~  
  
Sara waited for the elevator. 5, 6, 7..no! 'Go down...', 8...  
  
Feeling as though she was on a time limit, Sara found herself racing down the stairs.  
  
She finally reached the first floor and ran to check the gates and times.  
  
'Flight 228, to Las Vegas, gate 75," she read aloud, before racing to gate 75.  
  
~*~  
  
Nick handed his boarding pass to the flight attendent who smiled at him good-naturedly.   
  
"Thank you, enjoy your flight, sir," she said smiling.  
  
"NICK! WAIT!" Sara yelled as she ran towards Gate 75.  
  
Nick turned around and his heart ached, just hearing the voice he had wanted so desperately to hear.  
  
"Sara?" he asked to no one, unable to speak.  
  
Nick stepped out of the line and found himself face-to-face with Sara Sidle.  
  
"Hi Nicky," she said, beaming.  
  
"Sara...how did you, how did you know I was here?"  
  
"Where else would you be?"  
  
"Excuse me, sir, the flight will be leaving in 2 minutes..." the flight attendent said.  
  
"Ok, hold on...I have a plane to catch,"  
  
"I know. I just, wanted to see you," Sara said, suddenly feeling very stupid for coming to the airport.  
  
"Well, I'm glad I got to see you. I have to go..."  
  
"Stay," Sara pleaded.  
  
Nick looked at Sara in amazement.  
  
"I can't. I have work...and, I have to put this behind me,"  
  
"Put what behind you? This relationship, this incident, me?" Sara asked, barely above a whisper.  
  
"Yes. In New York, you didn't want to see me. That hurt, so much. Almost as much as when you didn't accept my proposal,"  
  
"Nick..." Sara said, her eyes filling up with tears.  
  
"Sara," Nick said, silencing her, as he cupper her cheek with his hand. "I need, to think. I need to move on, to find myself again. Can you understand that?"  
  
Sara nodded, the tears slowly making it's way down.  
  
"Sir, we are leaving, now!" The flight attendent said with presistence.  
  
"I love you," Nick said, ignoring her, "I always will."  
  
Without waiting for Sara's response, he turned and boarded the plane.  
  
'Saying goodbye  
  
Is never an easy thing  
  
But you never said   
  
That you´d stay forever.  
  
So if you must go,   
  
Oh! darling I set you free,  
  
But I know in time   
  
That we´ll be together.'  
  
Sara watched him disappear behind the gate, the tears overflowing her face.  
  
'I won´t try   
  
To stop you now from leaving  
  
'Cause in my heart I know  
  
Love will lead you back,   
  
Someday I just know that  
  
Love will lead you back to my arms,   
  
Where you belong.  
  
I´m sure, sure as stars are shining  
  
One day you will find me again, it won´t be long,  
  
One of these days our love will lead you back.'  
  
Nick stopped before actually boarding the plane. He stopped and thought. Making up his mind, he stepped onto the platform.  
  
'One of these nights,   
  
Ooh! I´ll hear your voice again,  
  
You´re gonna say,   
  
Ooh! how much you missed me.  
  
You´ll walk out this door,   
  
But someday you´ll walk back in,  
  
And darling I know ooh!   
  
I know this will be.'  
  
'Sometimes it takes,   
  
Sometime you on your own now  
  
To find your way back home...'  
  
Sara sits quietly, crying, in her car.  
  
Love will lead you back,   
  
Someday I just know that  
  
Love will lead you back to my arms,   
  
Where you belong.  
  
I´m sure, sure as stars are shining  
  
One day you will find me again, it won´t be long,  
  
One of these days our love will lead you back.  
  
Nick sits on the plane. "This is flight 228 to Las Vegas. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight,"  
  
Love will lead you back,   
  
Someday I just know that  
  
Love will lead you back to my arms,   
  
Where you belong.  
  
I´m sure, sure as stars are shining  
  
One day you will find me again, it won´t be long,  
  
One of these days our love will lead you back.  
  
"Love Will Lead You Back" ~ Taylor Dayne  
  
~*~ 


	3. Heartache

Disclaimers in Ch. 1  
  
~*~  
  
A year later, I'd grown up. For the past 5 months, I'd dreamt of Nick, and nothing but Nick. Nick coming back to me, his soft skin in my arms. And everyday I waited; waited to be swept off my feet. I wished Nick would rescue me. Like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Women". Rescue me, and we'll live together happily ever after. LIke the fairytales my parents used to read me. Rescue me, I would plead. He never rescued me.  
  
I was rescued though; by one Adam Walker, from Houston. Adam Walker is handsome, successful, and he loved me. He would never leave me, like Nick abruptly did. I was happy. I am happy.  
  
~*~  
  
No one had heard from Sara for a couple months now. Grissom had been in contact with her quite frequently, but then a month turned into 2, and 2 turned into 3, and soon the connection was lost.  
  
Grissom told us she had gotten her old job back in San Francisco, was dating again, and suggested I do the same. It took me a while to accept the fact that she was moving on. I wanted her to ache, come back to me, pleading for forgiveness. Why, I don't know. I would never, never want Sara to hurt herself...and I knew that Sara was just too proud to come back on bended knees.  
  
Kristy was interesting, but there was absolutely no chemistry. Christa was attractive; but my heart just wasn't into her. I always knew I loved Sara; she was perfect. BUt, I never knew that I was in so deep, that my life could just, lock down. It's the scariest thing love can do to you.  
  
~*~  
  
"Marry me,"  
  
I stared at the 2 karat diamond surrounded by sapphires.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Will you be my wife?"  
  
"No," I answer pretty flatly. The look on his face says that I had said it aloud.  
  
"I mean, no...I have no idea what to say!"  
  
"Oh," he says, before nervously laughing. "How about yes?"  
  
"How about I'll think about it?" asking him with all seriousness.  
  
"Alright. Take all the time you need. How about you come to Houston with me, to meet my family?"  
  
"Ok, fine. As long as you don't ask me to do the hokey pokey..."   
  
~*~  
  
"Hi mom, hi Dad,"  
  
"Nicky, sweetie." My mom said. Her eyes were red from crying.  
  
"Hey Nick. Thank Grissom for us, for letting you come down on such short notice,"  
  
"Dad, he understood. Have you made all the arrangements? Can I help with anything?"  
  
"Uhh, could you call the home in Houston, uhh...Deerspring Cemetary Home, that's the name...and confirm that the funeral will be held there tomorrow at 2?"  
  
"Sure thing Dad. WHere's the phonebook?"  
  
~*~  
  
"So, this must be the famous Sara Sidle," Jack Walker said, giving Sara a big bear hug.  
  
"Sorry," Adam said blushing.  
  
"Welcome to Houston," Nancy Walker said.  
  
"Thank you. It's sure, uhh, warm," Sara said casually.  
  
They all laughed.  
  
"Yes, it is." Nancy said.  
  
"Dad, what were you telling me about a funeral we had to attend?" Adam asked.  
  
"Oh, do you remember Sam and Eleanor Weston?" Jack asked, picking up Adam's duffle bag.  
  
"Sure, I was friends with...was it Lorianne, Weston?"  
  
"Yea, it was. Sam's father passed away, and we were invited,"  
  
"But, I didn't even know their father. I barely know them..." Adam argued.  
  
"Adam, it's only polite. Besides, I want to introduce them to my future daughter in law!" Jack said happily.  
  
"Actually, I..." Sara said, trying to explain the fact that she hadn't accepted his proposal yet.  
  
"We're looking forward to it," Adam answered quickly.  
  
Sara shot her glare at Adam.  
  
"Dad, why don't you and mom wait for the luggage? Sara and I are just going to talk for a bit,"  
  
"Sure thing," they said, moving closer towards the carousel.  
  
"You haven't told them yet?" Sara asked furious.  
  
"Well, it never really came up. I told them I proposed, and before I could tell them what you said, they got excited and...well, they've already picked out a dress for you," Adam said, his cheeks blushing.  
  
"WHAT?" Sara yelled.  
  
"Can you not be so loud?" Adam said, shushing her when his parents looked over their shoulders at them.  
  
"I can choose my own dress, you know..."  
  
"I know, you can. But this is a tradition in my family..."  
  
"What about my traditions, huh? My taste, my choices, what about me?" Sara complained.  
  
"Ok, sweetie, calm down."  
  
"Don't call me sweetie." Sara snapped.  
  
Sara saw the hurt look on Adam's face and realized perhaps she'd been a little harsh.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just. The heat...and you know how marriage freaks me out. A whole lifetime of..."  
  
"Committment. Yea, I know. I'm sorry. Maybe, the dress thing was just, too much..." Adam said.  
  
"Hey, you love birds! Come on, let's go!" Nancy called, showing them that their luggage had been collected.  
  
"Ready to go?"  
  
"Ready as ever," Sara said.  
  
~*~  
  
SARA'S POV:  
  
I should be happy right? I finally found a man who respected the fact that I am afraid of marriage. So, why aren't I happy? Maybe it's cause that man isn't Nick.  
  
~*~  
  
"My Grandma Rose was a pretty cool lady. She was smart, respected, kind. She lived a very full life. The only regret I had was that she wasn't able to see me marry." Nick said in front of a crowd of people.  
  
A limosine drove by and screeched to a stop. THe crowd who had been attentively paying attention to Nick turned their heads to see what all the commotion was about.  
  
A young man about Nick's age stepped out and held his hand out. Nick caught his breath.  
  
"This can't be the Weston's funeral, Dad. It's already begun," Adam said.  
  
Sara looked around the cemetary, her sunglasses on as usual.   
  
"Come on, hon, we've got the funeral," He said, pulling her back inside. "We're awfully sorry to disturb your service," Adam called out when he saw everyone staring at him, before getting back into the limo with Sara.  
  
~*~  
  
NICK'S POV:  
  
Well, there I had it. I had wished to see her, and sure enough, I did. My stomach was forming knots. And questions.  
  
Who was that man? I knew Sara had 2 older brothers, but he had never met them. WHy were they in Houston?   
  
"Nick?"  
  
~*~  
  
"Nick?"  
  
Nick shook out of his mental thoughts and looked at his father.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yea, it's just...I miss Grandma," he said.  
  
~*~  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down  
  
It's a fool's game, nothing but a fool's game  
  
Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown  
  
~*~  
  
SARA'S POV:  
  
When we got back from the funeral, I took a nice hot shower. We were halfway across Houston where Adam lived, so we stayed in a nice hotel  
  
It wasn't before I actually fell asleep that I realized I hadn't thought of Nick today. That was a real achievement, not thinking of Nick.  
  
"Maybe I am falling for Adam?" Sara asked herself. It made sense; she was in love with Adam. So much in love with him, that she didn't want Nick back. It made perfect sense. If it made perfect sense, then why did it hurt so much?  
  
~*~  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Love until your arms break, then he lets you down  
  
~*~  
  
NICK'S POV:  
  
He had seen her. After a whole year, he had seen her. He still remembered the day at the airport, like it had only been yesterday.   
  
Why hadn't he stayed? STayed and they could've been married already. It was on the top of Nick's top 10 regrets list.  
  
Who was that man? Had Sara moved on that quickly? It'd only been a year, and she was already accompanying...unless she was there on business. With her partner in crime. BUt what if she was involved with her partner in crime, like she was with him.  
  
"Too many questions, not enough answers," Nick told him and fell asleep, his heart full of questions, love, and ache for a gal named Sara.  
  
~*~  
  
It ain't right with love to share when you find he doesn't care for you  
  
It ain't wise to need someone as much as I depended on you, you know  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down  
  
It's a fool's game, nothing but a fool's game  
  
Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Love until your arms break, then he lets you down  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down  
  
It's a fool's game, nothing but a fool's game  
  
Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown  
  
~*~  
  
SARA'S POV:  
  
"Ok, I'm going to say yes. I will be Mrs. Adam Walker," Sara said aloud.  
  
~*~  
  
NICK'S POV:  
  
"I have to see her," Nick said, before jumping out of bed, grabbing his keys, and running out the door.  
  
~*~  
  
It ain't right with love to share when you find he doesn't care for you  
  
It ain't wise to need someone as much as I depended on you  
  
It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache  
  
Hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down  
  
It's a fool's game, nothing but a fool's game  
  
Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown  
  
~ "Heartache" by Bonnie Tyler  
  
~*~ 


	4. Tears in the Rain

NICK'S POV:  
  
I didn't even know where to begin. Would she be staying in a hotel? In a house? She could be anywhere. I decided to check the hotels first.  
  
"Ramada Inn," the voice said.  
  
"Hi, I would like to check on a guest. Sara Sidle?"   
  
"Hold on a minute, please." she said. "Yes, I have a Sara Sidle here. What is your relation with her?"  
  
"I'm her...umm, brother." I said.  
  
"Well, she's in room 42. Would you like to..."  
  
"No, thanks," I said, quickly hanging up the phone.  
  
~*~  
  
SARA'S POV:  
  
I can't sleep. Adam's sleeping beside me. Maybe I should tell him now...or wait till tomorrow. Now or tomorrow? Well, there wasn't a point of ruining his nice dreams. I'll wait till tomorrow.  
  
Thunder struck outside. I shivered. I've always had a problem with thunder. Where's Miss Moosey where I need her?  
  
Miss Moosey is a cow I've had since I was a baby. You could say she helped me through my, troubled moments. Where is she?  
  
I slapped my forehead. Damn, I'd left her in the car! Oh well, I can't sleep anyways. The thunder shook again.  
  
~*~  
  
NICK'S POV:  
  
I got out of my car and I didn't know where to begin. Should I run to her room, knock, and profess to my love to her? Or should I just watch her hotel room all night long. I had forgot that I was just sitting in the car when I noticed a familiar figure walking. She walked to a car, popped open the drunk, and took out something. It was hard to see because it was raining.  
  
~*~  
  
"There you are, Miss Moosey," Sara whispered to it, hugging it tightly.  
  
It was rainin' hard in Houston when I ran into her  
  
I searched for conversation but I was lost for words  
  
Then a cloud of tear filled memories came crashin' down on me  
  
If it hadn't been for the pourin' rain I'm sure she would have seen  
  
"You still have Miss MOosey huh?" a familiar Texan voice called out.  
  
Sara froze, clutching her beloved stuffed animal tightly. Turning slowly, her eyes burst into tears.  
  
"Nick?" she whispered, but she knew it was him.  
  
"Hi Sara," he said, his smile making her knees shake.  
  
"Oh my god, Nick. Is it really you?" Sara said, stepping closer to the stranger.  
  
"It's me, Sara," Nick said, touching her cheek lovingly.  
  
Sara threw her arms around him and hugged him close, trying to inhale his scent. Nick hugged her back, tightly, as if he never wanted to let her go.   
  
They realized they were hugging, but didn't pull away.   
  
Tears in the rain  
  
Hidin' the pain  
  
Maybe she'd come back  
  
If she could see me cry  
  
She thinks I'm so strong  
  
Oh, but she's so wrong  
  
She just couldn't see these tears in the rain  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sara asked, realizing she was in Texas.  
  
"My grandmother passed away. I was here for her funeral,"  
  
"Oh Nick, I'm so sorry."  
  
"It's okay. She, she died peacefully. God I've missed you," he said, playing with Sara's now-wet wavy hair.  
  
"I've missed you too. How did you know I was here?"  
  
"I didn't, until I saw you today at the cemetery." Nick said, taking a sniff of her strawberry-scented shampoo.  
  
'Cemetary' Sara thought...'Adam'.  
  
Sara pulled away from the close embrace and looked at the ground.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Now, I'll regret that moment 'Cuz I didn't let her know  
  
How much I still loved her I was hopin' it would show  
  
But the raindrops and the teardrops ran together on my face  
  
Now she'll never, ever know no one can take her place  
  
"I'm engaged Nick..." she told him, trying to avoid his eyes.  
  
Nick's stomach dropped and heart broke.   
  
"You're...you're engaged? Wow, that's great. I mean, yea, I am too..." he said, desperately.  
  
"What?" Sara could not believe it. He was engaged and they were close to kissing...  
  
"Yea, she's uhh...great."   
  
"Do I know her?" Sara asked, with a hint of jealousy.  
  
"Uhh, I don't think so. She was your...uhh, replacement," Nick said, shaking his head slightly.  
  
"My replacement, huh?" Sara said.  
  
"So, whose Mr. Romeo?" Nick asked, trying not to sound too angry.  
  
"You realize we're in the rain, right?" Sara asked him. Neither had noticed Mother Nature around them...  
  
"I don't mind a bit of rain. You didn't use to either," Nick said, reminding her.  
  
"Well, now I do," Sara snapped.  
  
"So, whose Mr. Romeo?" Nick prompted.  
  
"He's Assistant D.A." Sara told him.  
  
"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Nick said.  
  
"Yea, it is. Handsome, good-looking..."  
  
"Nothing I was, huh?"   
  
Tears in the rain  
  
Hidin' the pain  
  
Maybe she'd come back  
  
If she could see me cry  
  
She thinks I'm so strong  
  
Oh, but she's so wrong  
  
She just couldn't see these tears in the rain  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Oh, I was never good for you. Right? You couldn't trust me with other women, I was a little too spontaneous..." Nick said, getting angry.  
  
"I couldn't trust you? How about 'you couldn't trust me!'. And for your information, I like spontaneous people!" Sara shouted.  
  
"Don't deny it, Sara. You don't like spontaneous people! You don't like people, general!" Nick yelled.  
  
"Are you implying something? At least I don't flirt with every man I meet!"  
  
"You know, I came here because I thought we could talk it out. You know, see what kept us away this past year..."  
  
"You're engaged! I'm engaged!" Sara shouted.  
  
"Yes, I know that. I'm not stupid. Oh, that's right, I am. I just wanted to make sure...I didn't make a mistake!" Nick said, softening a little.  
  
Sara took a deep breath.  
  
"Listen, Nick, it's been a year. I've moved on, why can't you?" she asked.  
  
"Wow, you've gotten mighty ego-headed in San Francisco, haven't you? How come you think I want to get back with you?"  
  
"Because Grissom and Catherine have been calling me. Warrick too. They're worried..."  
  
"Worried about what? That I can't live without you? Cause I can, Sara. I have been...this past year! That's 12 months!! I've lived without you for 12 months! And I'm alive and healthy!"  
  
"Healthy, Nick? You've lost weight, and Grissom tells me you're not always eating,"  
  
"What is Grissom, your spy?" Nick asked Sara, outraged.  
  
"No! You know Grissom, he observes things!"  
  
"Yea, and reports them back to you!" Nick shouted.  
  
"Stop, Nick! Stop!" Sara shouted.  
  
"I didn't come down here to get in a big fight. NOt with you. I have things worth my time..." Nick said, before stomping over to his car.  
  
"Nick...Nicky," Sara pleaded as she watched him walk away.  
  
'Nicky'. She had said the name. Nick wanted to turn back, but too many things had been done. Too many things had been said.  
  
So, he kept walking- with tears in his eyes.  
  
She thinks I'm so strong  
  
Oh, but she's so wrong  
  
She just couldn't see these tears in the rain  
  
~ "Tears in the Rain" by Tim McGraw 


	5. Washington

Disclaimers: I OWN NONE OF THE CSI CHARACTERS.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: THANK YOU SOO MUCH TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE REVIEWED! IT MEANS SOO MUCH TO ME!  
  
~*~  
  
The coldness of the wet rain left Sara's face feeling numb. She stood there for a while, watching Nick get into his car and drive off. Part of her wanted to follow him, the other wanted to let it go.  
  
So, what now?  
  
~*~  
  
Their entire conversation raced through Nick's head. One comment after the other. One angry voice after the other.   
  
'What have I done?' Nick asked himself.  
  
~*~  
  
4 months later...  
  
~*~  
  
"Melanie Jacobs. FOund dead in her apartment." Brass said.  
  
"Who called it in?" Nick asked.  
  
"Melanie didn't show up for work. Boss got worried, called the house. When no one responded, he went over there, checked it out. Found her dead,"  
  
"Pretty nice boss, huh?" Nick commented.  
  
"Very nice," Brass commented.  
  
"You think they were having an affair?" Catherine asked.  
  
"It's possible. I'll leave it to you guys to figure that out," Brass said, closing his notepad and walking to join his officers.  
  
Catherine and Nick walked over to the dead girl's body.  
  
"Did they say she was 26?"  
  
"Yea, why?"  
  
"She looks, a lot older than 26," Nick noticed.  
  
"Well, facts are facts, Nicky," Catherine said.   
  
Nick started to walk around the apartment. In one picture, Melanie had her arms wrapped around a stron, muscular man.  
  
"Hey, Catherine...does this look like her brother, or boyfriend?" Nick asked, motioning for Catherine to come over to look.  
  
"Boyfriend. Definitely. The way she's hugging him," Catherine said.  
  
"Hey, Brass," Nick called. "Did she have a boyfriend?"  
  
"We're still working on that. Is that him?" Brass asked, pointing to the man in the picture.  
  
"We think he is," Nick said, handing the picture to Brass.  
  
"I'll give these to the guys," Brass said, before walking away.  
  
~*~  
  
"Boyfriend's name is Tommy Sanders. He lives in Washington," Brass informed the crew.  
  
"D.C.?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Did he ever live in Las Vegas?" Nick asked.  
  
"Yea, for two years. Then he moved,"  
  
"He just, randomnly moved? There wasn't a job transfer or anything?" Catherine asked.  
  
"No, from what his landlord tells me, he just wanted to get out of Las Vegas,"  
  
"But why leave his girlfriend behind? Long distance relationships are hard to work out..." Catherine said.  
  
"Unless she was the reason he was leaving," Grissom concluded. "Nick, why don't you pay Mr. Sanders a visit,"   
  
~*~  
  
Nick pulled the car to a stop at Tommy Sanders apartment, only to find that he had company.  
  
"Excuse me, what's going on?" Nick stopped an officer.  
  
"Do you live here?" The officer asked him.  
  
"No, I..."  
  
"Then I'm afraid you're going to have to step back,"  
  
"I'm with the Las Vegas Crime lab" Nick said, pulling out his badge. "I'm here on a case. Could you please tell me..."  
  
"Las Vegas Crime Lab, huh? What are you here for?"  
  
"I'm here to talk to Tommy Sanders,"  
  
"I'm sorry, but that's not possible," the officer said.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because Tommy Sanders is dead. Forensics are inside right now, checking it out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sorry," the oficer shrugged and headed back into the building.  
  
Nick stepped back and pulled out his cell.  
  
"Grissom," the voice at the end answered.  
  
"Grissom, you're not going to believe this. Tommy Sanders is dead,"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just got here, and there were cops everywhere."  
  
"Killed, or suicide?"  
  
"I think he was killed, Grissom. They wouldn't make it so, big, if it was a suicide,"  
  
"Okay, okay. Work with the D.C. Crime lab, see what they have, report back to us."  
  
"Okay," Nick said, closing his conversation.  
  
"Officer..." Nick called, recognizing the officer was outside again.  
  
"Officer Milton."  
  
"Nick Stokes," he said, shaking his hand. "The death of Tommy Sanders will tie in with my case. Do you know if the superior of the D.C. Crime Lab is here?"  
  
"Actually, he is. I'll go get him," Officer Milton ran inside.  
  
A few minutes later, Officer Milton walked out with a middle-aged man, who couldn't have been older than 40.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Stokes. I'm Matt Wells. How can I help you?"  
  
"I'm with the Las Vegas Crime lab. I came here to talk to Tommy Sanders..." Nick explained. For the next minute or so, Nick went on to explain the death of Melanie Jacobs, and why they needed to see Tommy.  
  
"I would really like to work with your team on this case." Nick offered.  
  
"That's fine. Except, our team isn't really a team. It's just me, and two other agents,"  
  
"Agents?" Nick questioned.  
  
"We're a part of the F.B.I. crime lab," he explained.  
  
"F.B.I? How fascinating. But, why would the F.B.I. be investigating the death of Tommy Sanders?"  
  
"Tommy, Tommy was a part of the Secret Service." Matt sighed.  
  
"Oh, Oh, I'm sorry,"   
  
"That's all right. Come on, I'll introduce you to the rest of the team" Matt gestured Nick into the building.  
  
"Even though we have a small team," Matt said as they walked, "they're both really good. Kevin Kendall is still young, but a bit old. Sara Sidle, is young and bright."  
  
"Sara Sidle?"  
  
"Yes. We've only had her for a couple months or so, and she's already cracked at least a dozen cases. Do you know her?"   
  
"You could say that..." Nick muttered.  
  
~*~  
  
"Kevin, Sara, meet Nick Stokes, of the Las Vegas Crime Lab," Matt introduced him,  
  
Kevin was about 35, from Nick's approximations, and Nick could see he had a wedding band on his finger. Sara had grown skinnier. Even skinnier than before. The face of Sara's was priceless.  
  
"Hi, Nick, nice to meet you," Kevin stood up and shook his hand.  
  
Sara stood them numb as ever.  
  
"Nick actually came here to talk to Tommy."  
  
"Why?" Sara asked.  
  
"He was a part of a murder we were investigating," Nick told her.  
  
Slowly but quickly, Nick explained the case again.  
  
"Well, Tommy was part of the Secret Service. He protected important men and women of Congress."  
  
"Did he have a girlfriend?" Nick asked.  
  
"Not that we know us. We'd never hear him mention a Melanie Jacobs,"  
  
"You knew him?"  
  
Kevin nodded.  
  
"The Secret Service would stop by F.B.I. headquarters a lot. In D.C., the government sticks with, well, the government,"  
  
Matt returned to the room. "Hey, you guys, we've got a suspect."  
  
"Who?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Jeremey Miller. He was seen going into Tommy's apartment from the hours of 6-7."  
  
"What time did the neighbor call in?"  
  
"About 8:30," Matt told him. "Sara, why don't you and Nick talk to him,"  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"He's already in headquarters," Sara told him.  
  
"Oh," Nick said stupidly, as he followed Sara outside to her truck.  
  
~*~  
  
"So, you're in D.C., huh? What happened to San Francisco, and...what was his name?" Nick asked, when they got into the car.  
  
"Adam," Sara said, as she pulled out of the driveway.  
  
"Yea, Adam. What happened to him?"  
  
"We realized we weren't right for each other,"  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Nick, listen, I know....you're probably still mad about that night. I'm..."  
  
"No, I'm sorry."  
  
"Nick..."  
  
"Don't. Don't apologize."  
  
"Okay," Sara said, smiling slightly. "I'm glad we're still friends,"  
  
"Me too. So, you like Washington?"  
  
"It's great. You remember that time I took a leave of absence?"  
  
"The time you threatened to take a leave of absence, you mean?"  
  
"Yea, that," Sara said, her smile growing wider, "Well, I told Grissom I wanted to work with the FBI. And after Adam and I split, it just seemed, right,"  
  
"I'd say." Nick said.  
  
"How is everyone? I haven't talked to them, in over a year, I think."  
  
"Maybe it's cause they didn't know you relocated to D.C.?" Nick suggested.  
  
"No, no. I told Grissom. I figured he'd tell you guys,"  
  
"Well, he didn't tell me." Nick sat back, confused. Why hadn't Grissom told me Sara had moved?  
  
"Here we are," Sara said, parking the truck.  
  
"Where are we? This isn't the FBI building,"  
  
"Actually, it is. We're going through the back door. It's easier to get to the crime lab,"  
  
"You know, I've always wanted to see the FBI crime lab," Nick said.  
  
"It's so magnificent. They have all these new machines, and the technology is great, and it's so easy to solve a case." Sara said excitedly.  
  
'Who can compare with great machines, technology, and easy-to-solve cases? Not me' Nick thought to himself sadly.  
  
~*~  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi everyone! Thank you SOOO much for the wonderful reviews! I tried to write this one really, really fast, so it might not be as good. but it gets better!   
  
PLEASE R+R! THANKS!! 


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